


Ascots and Allies

by incognitoinsomniac



Category: Endeavour (TV)
Genre: Case Fic, Fluff and Humor, Internal Conflict, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Peter Jakes Didn't Leave Oxford, Peter Jakes-centric, Shopping, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:02:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29198817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/incognitoinsomniac/pseuds/incognitoinsomniac
Summary: Jakes and Morse are preparing to go undercover at a local gay club. But they first have to get decent disguises.
Relationships: Peter Jakes/Endeavour Morse
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	Ascots and Allies

**Author's Note:**

> This is the start of a longer fic for Undercover Jakes and Morse. But I was inspired by Fluffy February Challenge to post the first chapter now. Updates to follow but not quickly.
> 
> EDIT: I adjusted the summary and some of the tags because I pulled it from my WIP draft. But it didn't accurately depict this work on its own.

Morse failed to stifle a loud outburst of laughter. "No!" he shouted as Jakes emerged from the fitting room of a secondhand store near the nick.

Jakes looked at him bewildered. The outfit was colorful. A bit funny out of context. But he thought he'd made a right attempt dressing as a queer. He'd need to anyway if they were to successfully infiltrate the gay club on Harbor St. and find out what was truly going on in the back rooms. If Jakes' suspicions were true, it was a front for a long time child trafficker. A one Oscar Fielding in bed with some very high standing people, including those involved at Blenheim Vale. They had to catch him and end this.

Jakes shook his own worries from his mind and looked himself over in the mirror. It was loud and frilly with clashing patterns accented with a shiny blazer. He couldn't see where he'd gone wrong. Finally he turned to Morse dumbfounded. "What?"

Morse was perched on a low worn dresser in an undercover getup he'd picked out himself. He looked surprisingly good. Jakes was astonished Morse had any style sense to begin with. The way he dressed no one would guess. Especially not Jakes. He had his arms crossed, chin resting in the crook of his thumb and forefinger as he continued to wince at the sight of Jakes. "You look like a cop," he said plainly.

"In this?" Jakes asked incredulously as he motioned to his whole outfit with a flourished wave of his hand.

"You look like a straight man pretending to be gay."

"Well that's what I am, innit?" Jakes rested his hands on his hips in frustration.

"So you look like a cop. They'll spot you immediately," Morse chuckled.

He was having too much fun with this. Jakes was starting to regret asking for his help. He wasn't even supposed to be looking into this. The records had been sealed along with any of the evidence that had led him to the club. 

"Are you going to help? Or are you just going to sit there and laugh?" he snapped.

"Come on. Have a little fun, Jakes. That's the whole point of these clothes. Expression."

"I don't do expression. Although I've got half a mind to express something to you." He shook a fist at him half-heartedly. He didn't really want to hit him. But the flat threat eased some of the tension building up at the base of his neck. 

"Alright. Alright. I'll be back shortly." Morse hopped off the dresser and took off into the sea of clothing racks.

Jakes turned back to the mirror with a frown. He ran a shaky hand through his hair. He wanted a smoke. The shop forbid it. He shook his hands in hope to rid himself of the restless feeling that permeated his body.

He wanted this to end as quickly as possibly. Obviously, to get a terrible man off the streets and save future children from experiencing anything like what he had or worse. But also everything to do with the club made his queasy. It made him think too much about feelings he'd had in the past. About men. Feelings he'd rather keep pushed down until they went away all together. 

Morse came back with some clothes as promised. "Try these," he urged, handing over the items while pushing Jakes back into the fitting room.

It didn't take long to change. And as he looked himself over in the mirror, Jakes found that he actually kind of liked the outfit. He would never admit it of course. He walked out of the changing room to show Morse who nodded in consideration. Morse looked him over once more and frowned. 

"What?" Jakes groaned.

"Can you do something with your hair? Maybe not so slicked down?" he offered. 

Jakes raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Can for tonight. What's wrong with it?"

Approaching him to pick off a stray thread, Morse worried his lip as he continued to look him over. "Makes you look like a suit."

"So a cop?"

"Eh, just a stiff," he said as he adjusted Jakes' vest.

Jakes protested, "This is a fashionable hairstyle."

He looked up at him, "For bank tellers and tax auditors. Maybe."

Jakes tried his best not to take offense. He flipped the comment back on Morse. "Don't think there's a gay tax auditor out there somewhere?"

"Probably," he shrugged. "Probably a few." He was preoccupied with adjusting Jakes' ascot. "Doubt they'd wear this though. Doubt they'd go to that club."

Jakes smirked, "Well that's rather close-minded of you, Morse. A real stereotypical conclusion you've come to there. A bit pedestrian really."

"We don't want to stand out, do we?" Morse snapped back at him with a fiery glare.

Jakes couldn't help but laugh out loud. He had pushed just the right buttons to get a rise out of him. Never could help himself. Jakes let his big grin fall into a smirk. "Just razzin ya, Morse."

His face softened as he muttered, "Right. Yeah." He was still fussing with Jakes' ascot as he said, "I just want to catch these guys for you." Then he flashed him a worried look with those dark blue eyes.

There was something about his frown that Jakes couldn't help but find endearing. His smirk curled up a bit more and he mumbled a quick thanks. He stood there for another moment before he shifted his weight toward the fitting rooms. "Best change out of these and pay. Can't spend all day here on the good people's dime."

"Of course," Morse agreed, quickly pulling his hands away and straightening up. He ducked into a separate fitting room without another word.

Jakes felt a small blush prickle his cheeks as he entered his own fitting room. He never knew Morse to say anything like that before. It continued to echo in his brain for the rest of the day.  _ For you. _


End file.
